The Big Draw 2012

This past weekend brought the 3rd annual Big Draw at RISD's Museum of Art. It was truly a family event, though folks without kids like me could still get in on the drawing fun!

I spent some time sketching kids who were as difficult to capture on paper as animals at the zoo! It was cute to see so many of them hard at work on their art, contorting their bodies and squirming and really getting into their creations. There was an array of activities throughout the museum: drawing to music, block printing, meditative drawing, a huge collaborative mural, & even a drawing exchange.

In addition to creating masterpieces, it was also a great chance to see those on display at the RISD Museum. I always get lost in there for hours, especially in the Greek and Roman art halls. Plus, there were pads of paper and pencils in nearly every room, ready for use in those sudden moments of inspiration.

Can you believe this event was FREE? For those of you who couldn't make it, you'll have to wait until next year for your chance to join the fun! For now, you can check out the RISD Museum calendar of events.

RISD's MLK Day of Service

RISD's Martin Luther King Day of Service, held last week at MLK Elementary in Providence, was a wonderful opportunity for RISD students and alumni to meet and connect while leading art activities for children.

There was great art, conversation, kids, and activities. Regretfully, I could only volunteer for set-up this year, but hope to commit to the full day next time. The event gets better every year!

Thanks to Becky Fong for letting me know about this great event! Check out RISD's Center for Student Involvement for more pictures.

National Portfolio Day

 

I’m excited to be heading to Boston this weekend to volunteer for RISD during National Portfolio Day! If you’re a high school student, potential transfer, or grad student, now is the time to get your portfolio critiqued by admissions officers and graduates from the best art school in the nation.

National Portfolio Day
Date: Sunday, October 30, 2011
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Place: Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02115

Need portfolio preparation and etiquette tips? I got you covered. For more information, directions, and parking, visit this page from the day’s courteous host, The Art Institute of Boston.

We hope to see you there!

Art, Books, Food, and Fun This Weekend

I could spend the weekend bemoaning the fact that I’m too far away to attend the Minnesota SCBWI 2011 Fall Conference (it’s going to be awesome and missing it is truly lamentable), but that would annoy the heck out of my husband. Fortunately, there is plenty to console me out here. Behold what I’m spending my money on instead of paying bills:

RISD By Design
Date: October 14 – 16, 2011
Time: Varies; check the schedule for each day’s events.
Place: Rhode Island School of Design, 2 College Street, Providence, RI 02903
Admission: Varies; registration is at the door.

RISD By Design is for the entire RISD family. The fully-loaded weekend features a variety of programs, workshops, open studios, dinners, and other festivities for alumni, students, friends, and family. The Alumni Art Sale and the festival at Tillinghast Farm are not to be missed! Follow this link for the full schedule.

Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books & Authors
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Place: Lincoln School, 301 Butler Avenue, Providence, RI 02906
Admission: $5 plus extra for books.

The Lincoln School will be holding their annual children’s festival with an exciting array of presentations and book signings for the public. Several nationally acclaimed authors and illustrators will be there, including Chris Van Allsburg, Gail Carson Levin, Kadir Nelson, and others. Food will be available on campus, and professional development credits are available. Follow this link for a full schedule.

Rhode Island Seafood Festival
Date: Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Place: India Point Park, Providence, RI 02906
Admission: Free.

The first annual RI Seafood Festival promises the finest seafood Rhode Island and southern New England have to offer, a variety of beer and wine from local distributors, and dancing to free live music from local bands performing on the pier stage. Visit http://riseafoodfest.com/ for directions, food prices, and other information.

This is only a sampling of events coming up this month right here in town. Thanks to all the businesses and organizations for their sponsorship! I’m going to do my best to pack in as much as possible over the weekend.

More Tips for the Art School Bound

When I’m not wishing that teens today get a haircut and turn down that awful racket, I’m marveling at how much smarter and more resourceful they are than when I was their age. I had the chance to meet one of these smart, resourceful youths at my alma mater recently as I was interviewed by a young RISD hopeful named Samantha. She contacted me after finding my work online and asked to interview an alumnus during her tour of several colleges on the East Coast.

Now, I’ve taught, mentored, and reviewed many a teenage portfolio over the years, and I’ve got to say that Sam was quite impressive. She had it together, folks, and I think other rising high school juniors and seniors who may be thinking about art school this fall could learn from her example:

Research several colleges. RISD wasn’t the only elite school Sam was considering, and that’s a good thing. Research all the factors that might affect your college experience: curricula, financial aid, graduate performance, cultural demographics, proximity to friends/family, and even how the weather tends to affect you. RISD is a top art school in the smallest state of New England with a very strenuous course load, and that type of environment isn’t a good fit for everybody.

Take a college tour and get as much out of it as possible. Plan your trip with attention to detail and opportunity: see as much of the campus, living quarters, and (especially) the studios as you can. If you tour a campus during the school year, watch for current students and see what they’re doing. Are they studiously working? Drunk and passed out? Geeking out like the weenies below?

We try so hard to be cool. That's me doing my best Terminator face next to graphic designer Cheryl Kalberer and Admissions Officer Antonio Peters.

Uh, anyway.... if you go over the summer, take advantage of the break in classes and try to arrange face-to-face time with admissions, financial aid officers and local alumni. Sam nailed this by scheduling a campus tour, attending an information session, and interviewing an alumnus all in one day.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t worry, I think I’ve just about heard them all. Just be prepared and polite. Sam took scores of notes and we talked for hours over her range of prepared questions (spanning several pages in her notebook) and other topics that were sparked during the course of conversation. She was affable, inquisitive, and grateful for my time, which never fails to impress me.

If you have any specific questions about RISD or if you’d like to schedule a campus visit, you can contact the RISD Admissions Office directly. Thanks to Antonio for graciously facilitating our meeting, and good luck to Sam and all the other college applicants out there!